Basement Outlet Height

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problemsolver600

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South Chicago suburbs
Off line for a while, missed you guys.

Client today asked why I wasn't putting all the outlets in his basement remodel at 48". He had recently heard a home inspector say 48" was required below grade.

This is in a home with an electrical panel starting 36" off the floor, and a furnace sitting on the floor.

And the windows start at 60", so 48" wouldn't be out of the water if it flooded!

Is this new, something I missed, or refering to a special "flood zone" requirement?

I told him I would check it out.

I know Chicago is stricter than some areas, but again, this is new to me!

Appreciate your response.

problemsolver600, 601 , 602....
 
problemsolver600 said:
He had recently heard a home inspector say 48" was required below grade.
Click to expand...


...and how could that information possibly be wrong ....or even questioned?

The client should have asked for a code reference before questioning the EC.
 
If it's a finished basement, I put them the same height as the rest of the house.

If it's unfinished, I put them at 48". But not because of any code, just because they're easier to find once the HO has crammed the basement full of junk.

DSC04593a.jpg
 
Excuse me, WHAT were you doing in MY HOUSE? :)


480sparky said:
If it's a finished basement, I put them the same height as the rest of the house.

If it's unfinished, I put them at 48". But not because of any code, just because they're easier to find once the HO has crammed the basement full of junk.

DSC04593a.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Not to slam HI's, but some of their information comes from unreliable sources. We all know how complicated the NEC is so I can see how they can easily make a mistake like this. 48" might be a good idea but it's not a requirement.
 
Thanks for the QUICK response!

Thanks for the QUICK response!

Thanks for your responses.

I figured/believed/assumed/whatever that this home owner might have been talking to the same "home inspector" who labeled all the pipes at one house I was in for the new occupants.

He very carefully labeled the shut off for the water heater and furnace, placing both tags on galvanized portions of the gas piping system.
(For those so heavily concentrated on electrical issues, galvanized pipe is very dangerous in natural gas lines.)

Or maybe, he was the guy in a county south of here who flagged a home for no bonding jumper on the water meter. Never mind that this particular community utilized PVC or CPVC type plastic feeds to the houses, and the plastic pipe was laying right there in the open in the crawl space.

I just did not want to take a chance that I had been too busy working and missed an important change.

Thanks!

problemsolver600

Motors run on smoke installed in the factory. If the smoke gets out, the motor won't work!
 
basement receptacle height

basement receptacle height

There is no such code requirement in the Chicago Electrical code either.
 
I always install the garage receptacles at 48" to the bottom of the recpt..

I've seen too many sheets of plywood, drywall, tables, etc. leaned against the garage wall.
Having to tilt all of them out while leaning over them to plug something in is a real pain.

It's not a code, just something that I do for the next guy.

steve
 
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